


Book 2: Fire - Reborn From Ashes

by jumping_jax



Series: discontinued indefinitely :( [2]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Avatar & Benders Setting, American English, Angst, Attempt at Humor, Avatar the Last Airbender AU, Circus, Elemental Bending, Fluff, Homelessness, M/M, Swearing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-04
Updated: 2019-06-04
Packaged: 2020-04-06 21:25:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,998
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19070974
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jumping_jax/pseuds/jumping_jax
Summary: He'd had everything taken from him - his money, his toys, his family, his dreams. Hardened by the harsh and unforgiving nature of living on the streets of a Fire Nation city, he shows no weakness and cares for no one but himself. Because how else is he supposed to survive?Now, his ashen dreams are being resurrected and he's forced to come face to face with his past.He struggles to work together with a snobby, rotten foreigner for the sake of their survival and realize that maybe dreams can come true.





	Book 2: Fire - Reborn From Ashes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> miss me?
> 
> y'all please pray for me. i really hope this only amounts to three chapters and less than 20k i don't think i can physically handle more than that
> 
> for anyone new, howdy! welcome aboard! this is the second though not directly connected part in my NCT in ATLA AU series so feel free to read the first though it's not required for the context of this story!

Beads of sweat trickled down the burning skin of his back, rolling down ceaselessly until they pooled at the dip in his lower back. His lungs heaved and burned no matter the amount of air he drew in gasp after gasp in as he sprinted for his life. The strain in his legs was so numbing it felt like his feet never hit the ground, yet the pouches concealed beneath his clothes still jingled with every step.

The shouts of the guards were ever persistent but he had a big advantage on these guys, no matter how tired he was or how many weapons they brought: he knew how to get around.

He shoved aside a woman cradling a basket of bread at her side, swiping a fat loaf for himself without slowing and shoved it into the folds of his shirt. He skidded around a corner, back to sprinting at full speed instantly after he rounded the bend. The narrow street was less crowded (it had never been crowded in all the years he’d been scuttling around) so it made getting to the rooftop a lot quicker and simpler.

With a great push, he lunged as high as possible at the wall, fingers latching onto a windowsill. He pushed off of the wall the second his feet made contact with the stone building and flipped off, landing against the opposite wall of the street. Once more, he pushed off, rolling over his shoulder onto the rooftop and taking off again in no time.

The slate roofing clacked loudly under his feet with each push off the ground, exhausting him further. The summer heat was stifling as it was, but exerting so much energy made it ten times worse. Sweat now completely drenched his body and his soaked clothes stuck uncomfortably to his torso. But people were merciless and he would do everything he could to survive.

He heard the whiz of the arrow before he felt the air rush by his ear, causing him to drop and slide down the slanted portion of the roof, zooming right off and landing on the uneven cobblestone ground of a desolate alley, and hit the ground running without a moment of hesitation.

The shouts were fewer and farther between now but he couldn’t take any risks. The alley had been abandoned for as long as he’d known. He pulled a small, oil filled sack of animal skin, a thin piece of twine wound tightly to cinch opening. With a flick of his finger, he lit the loose end of twine and turned, running backwards while chucking the bomb as far as possible. He waited just for a heartbeat to watch it land somewhere at the entrance of the alley where a soldier rounded the corner just as it exploded, filling the entryway with an impassable wall of fire and smoke.

He took the opportunity to push open the secret hatch in the wall and slip through, sprinting still until he reached the hidden stairway leading into the underground.

 

* * *

 

 

Above ground, the heat was scorching, but below the surface, it was suffocating. His chest burned and his legs had stiffened into sweat soaked rubber.

But at least he was in the clear.

He pulled the disappointingly light sacks of coins from where he’d hidden them between the folds of his clothes, but savored the weight in his palms none the less.

The bread was slightly sticky with perspiration and only a little warm but it was the freshest food he’d been able to get his hands on for the past two days. He was eating it regardless.

The underground was never well lit but no one spent more time than they needed to in the humid, cramped, disgusting hideout. It’s only purpose was temporary refuge from the guards and authorities and maybe, if you were desperate enough, a place to stay for the night.

It wasn’t anything more than it’s unofficial name that the other street rats called it. The underground, a pit that ran under various building complexes, though not connected in any way. He had no idea what their intended purpose had been, nor did he care. All of the structures concealing its existence were either owned by people who sympathized the street kids or completely abandoned.

The only things keeping the underground from collapsing and washing away were the intermittent patches of laid bricks along the walls and the continuous stretch of cobblestone that sat in the ground beneath his feet.

To keep peace between the part-time residents of the underground there were a few rules, all unspoken yet understood.

Never disclose its location to anyone but those of your own kind.

Don’t speak to others unless it’s to give an update on the guards’ position or absolutely necessary. That was figured out as you spent more time hiding out in the underground from the guards and it’s objective was to prevent fights among the rats themselves. However, occasionally one would challenge another rat to a fight for a piece of their steal or food, though it didn’t happen too often.

And, obviously, if the need to relieve yourself arose, you were required to hold it until the coast had cleared and do it above.

He plunked down, thighs aching with relief, and inhaled the bread. It was gone in seconds, half chewed chunks audibly splashing down in his empty stomach. He slumped against the wall, the moist feeling of the wet dirt soaking through the back of his two thin shirts and loose fitting cardigan of sorts. Ew.

Normally he’d wait until another kid entered the underground and gave a report on the guards’ status, like everyone else did. But he was alone, which was uncommon but not strange, so he was only resting until his legs no longer felt as if they were encased with lead.

In the meantime, he quietly counted the number of coins he’d acquired in the first pouch.

He was halfway through with the third when a hatch on the other end to his left snapped open and two resounding whumps filled the chamber. He pocketed his loot and wiped his face blank.

“-wasn’t my fault! For the last time, you were the one who startled the raven eagle,” the first kid hissed, a boy, he guessed, voice fairly high so probably no older than himself.

Their bickering went back and forth in loud whispers as they fumbled through the dark, clearly brand new to the underground.

“Jesus, it’s hot down here,” the second voice moaned, also male and probably around his age. Yeah, definitely their first time in the underground. The sound of bare feet slapping the scattered patches of cobblestone drew nearer until he could feel the duo in the black space next to him.

He took a silent breath in. “Are they gone?”

The two boys must’ve jumped into the air because their feet scuffled over the stone and their startled cries rang through the darkness.

“Shut the fuck up,” the first voice hissed a moment after as if just remembering they were in hiding.

“There’s someone else here,” the second replied. There was a short pause where no one said anything.

He sighed. He rolled his wrist around, flipping his palm upwards and generating a flame that hovered above his skin. “I asked if the guards were gone?” He prompted, raising his hand to try and get a view of their faces.

“Holy shit!” They both exclaimed like they’d never met a firebender before. They shied away from the glow, faces gulped up by the shadows and their heavy breathing the only indicator that they hadn’t slipped away completely.

He sighed. These kids must’ve been kicked to the streets only recently, also considering how it had to be their first time in the underground.

“Who the fuck are you and what are you doing here?” The first voice asked, belonging to the taller one of the two.

“I could ask you the same thing but I want to know where you think you are.” He raised his hand higher, ignoring how his arm had begun to tire.

He caught the shift of light from the fronts of their faces to the sides as they looked at each other. “We… um, we were told by a friend to go underground if the guards started chasing us,” the second voice whispered. “But she didn’t say another kid would know about it…”

He tried hard to stifle the long sigh that left his lips. “Fresh meat,” he grumbled under his breath. He could only vaguely remember feelings from when he’d been the fresh meat on the street, but it was enough to remind him of the struggle of starting out on your own. “Well, were you getting chased by guards?”

Silence followed but the jump of light over their faces suggested they were nodding. He grew slightly irritated.

“I can’t hear you when you nod, and I can’t see you properly when you're standing that far away so pick one,” he snapped.

The two boys’ shadows fluttered like they’d flinched at the razor edge in his voice. He felt no pity though and waited expectantly for an answer.

Street rats were in no means expected to be polite, but he expected them to have common sense at least and if they didn’t, he already knew he wouldn’t see their face after a week, tops.

“Y-yes,” the first voice croaked out.

“Did they see you enter?”

“No,” the second voice replied, just as unsteady as the first.

“How close were they to you?”

“Not… not very, I’m not sure if they really saw us…” the first mumbled.

He sighed again. These kids must’ve ran on sight of the guards making rounds with the tax collector through the town. They probably hadn’t even been doing anything to warrant chasing.

He jumped between the ideas of laying down the rules for these kids and leaving them in the dark. The first option was quickly outweighed in “bads” than “goods” and he made his decision. If he were to help them, they might cling to him like hitchhiker seeds and he couldn't afford to deal with any of that when he had himself to feed. They also seemed stupid, always bickering between each other and would be a great liability should they try to tag along. And then if they learned his name, that would be irrevocable until they died.

His main goal was to survive. He planned on doing so by laying low, staying undetected, saving up and moving out onto a smaller island of the Fire Nation archipelago where work was easier to find and he could leave all the pain, dreams and memories behind on the mainland.

But, if he didn’t tell them certain things, it could result in his own death. And maybe he did pity them just a tad for how supremely boneheaded the kids came off to be.

“Well,” he began tersely, “I can tell you this much, you’re in what’s called the underground. From the building you came through, there are two more entryways from the other two buildings right of that. You don’t talk, you don’t piss or shit and you don’t share this spot with anyone you don’t know,” he finished, punctuating his last word by snapping his hand shut and snuffing out the flame.

He rose and turned away from the boys, letting his fingers just skim the slimy surface until he felt the wooden boards of the hatch. He pushed it open with an easy shove and climbed out, silently easing it shut.

Adjusting his oversized robe that had slipped down his shoulder as he walked, he squinted through a crack in the plaster walls, scanning the alley running by outside.

The coast was clear.

With a skip, he took off again, hoping to get back in time to reclaim his favorite spot.

 

* * *

 

“Move.”

“No.” The defiant resistance had been something he’d expected. But the quiver in her gaze and the tremble in her fingers gave away the real fear she was trying so desperately to hide.

The kid looked younger than him, yet he could tell she was still bigger in size even while crouched in his spot. This was supposed to be his area where he could hide out in peace. Few, exclusively selected kids were allowed to stay in the premises but this was not one of the kids.

“I’ll make you move,” he growled, stepping back and lighting up his fist. Her fear broke free and projected on her face, lip quivering and eyes pooling with tears. He couldn’t quite explain why he felt so satisfied and so pleased with knowing the power he had over her.

She scrambled up, spitting harmless curse words at him that bounced off the solid, indifferent mask he’d flipped on. The tears in her eyes did nothing to sway him and he waved her off with a cocky smirk. She turned tail, red, dirtied dress torn all along the hem and scraps fluttering behind her as she ran from the nook behind the building.

He took a seat on the pile of rags he’d collected over time for himself and squashed himself between the brick wall that blocked the street on the other side from view and the plaster wall of the house an old couple owned.

He’d begun to sort through the bags of coins he’d counted, recounting them and sorting the stacks into gold, silver and copper pieces when a voice called his name.

“Chenle.”

He let his fingers play delicately over the piles of coins. He turned just in time to see a familiar face turning the corner of the house and peer down at him.

“Morishita,” he returned with the slightest ghost of a smile playing at the corner of his lips.

 

 

* * *

 

 

When Morishita left, Chenle relaxed against the wall again. He’d been knocked down to a single pouch filled with coins instead of four a quarter filled but after divvying up the earnings, he was satisfied enough with his earnings.

Morishita wasn’t a friend by any means, but they both shared common motives and plans for the future. And after a long standoff that lasted for six months, starting just two months after Chenle took to the street life, they’d come to an agreement of “if you don’t hurt me, I won’t hurt you,” and it had held fast ever since.

Normally it was Mori, or Mo, (not a nickname in any way shape or form, just to clarify; simply a shortened version of his name without the fondness or connection a nickname involved) who did the stealing and the running while Chenle handled the distraction to create an opening but the switch of roles had been for the sole reason that there had only been two guards with the tax collector and Mo insisted Chenle experience the thrill. He had not been disappointed.

He totaled up his remaining loot, finding enough to buy him maybe food for the next three days (if he limited himself to two meals a day). That was roughly the usual.

But he figured he should take a trip down to the docks and price out the fare to get from the mainland to a more remote, less populated island where he could start a new life.

The goal was never to get rich, he didn’t have the necessary drive or resources to shoot that high.

He just wanted to try and live happily, that was all, really.

_Yet something so simple is just so unattainable for an unfortunate kid like me,_  he thought, sighing inwardly.

 

* * *

 

When morning rose he planned to be off, keeping his few valuable possessions on him, and make his way to the dock, avoiding the parts of the city he’d recently combed with Mo.

Within minutes, the sun had fried him just as badly and it wasn't even noon as far as he knew. He stuck to the side of the street with the small strip of shade casted by the houses and kept his head ducked and eyes just a few paces ahead of him with his ears pricked.

But even in the shade he could feel the sun heating his hair so he picked up his pace, weaving through the clusters of people congregating outside of vending stands.

He could smell the docks before he could see them and inhaled deeply. Salty and fishy scents hung heavily in the air, filling his lungs.

He made his way over the the docks and stepped into the short line of a few families who looked like they were planning on going for a little ride or spend some time along the shore. His turn came and he stepped up the the old man hunched over a small, rickety table. His skin was dark from what Chenle figured to be many days out at sea at a time year round and his hair was white as ash, wiry tangles forming a small, poofy beard on his chin.

“What’s a far island with a small village and not many people?” He asked before the man could open his mouth.

“Er, small village you say? Well, there’s an island out a good ways from Ember Island with a few small towns and a nice forest if that sounds good for you,” he offered.

“How much?”

The old man leaned over further the table and peered into Chenle’s eyes, one of his eyelids twitching uncontrollably, like a dying bug. Chenle tried not to stare at it. “How much ya got?”

“How much ya askin for?” He mocked subtly, leaning in too.

“All you got then,” the old man shot back, rising a challenging eyebrow.

His heart kicked up speed and he felt his blood warm. This man didn’t need to be so difficult.

“And if I only got two silver and five copper?” He challenged, not backing down just yet.

“Then you stay on the mainland,” he snapped at Chenle, throwing his head back and cackling loudly. “Skiddaddle on home to ya mommy and daddy and ask for some real dough, then we can talk,” he hooted, waving Chenle away.

The boy’s jaw tightened and his hands curled into fists. But he controlled himself, turning on his heal and walking away, unsure of what to do next. He needed more money but the next tax collection wouldn’t be for another week at least, and the money he did have needed to be spent on food and other basic necessities without question.

The pit of anger in his stomach had faded completely and a sharp pang of hunger quickly replaced it, reminding Chenle that he hadn’t eaten since the bread he’d stolen yesterday. Right, looked like there wouldn’t be any money he could save for this time around.

He scanned the area. He needed to be careful if he was going to try anything in this area, this was the closest town to the sea from his hideout and he didn’t want to ruin his next walk down to the dock by getting the guards called on him.

The inner city would be a better option. There were more people and it was easier to hide and steal.

He adjusted his clothes and set off with a new plan in mind, hoping to find unsuspecting stand vendors open on the hot day.

 

* * *

 

Bingo. A scrawny, sort of gawky looking kid was standing with his back to Chenle, facing the vendor at a stand. Under his arm he’d tucked a woven basket with a cloth laying over the top but the lumps that Chenle assumed to be fruit were still visible.

Chenle would’ve gone for the steal without hesitation but there was something very different about the boy. For one, his bright orange and yellow clothing. And two, just the way he stood, one hip popped with a hand resting delicately on it and with his chin tilted up to look down over his nose really pissed Chenle off for no proper reason.

The clothing though was so strange to Chenle. He figured the kid must have a lot of money to afford such bright colors and such nice looking, handwoven fabric. Just another reason lock in on this particular kid. (Yes, he had the money to buy his own food this time around, but most of the vendors in the area would recognize him and likely call the guards so just to play it safe, he’d steal).

He crept forward, eyes darting to his left and right to monitor the anticipated onslaught of entitled men and women ready to bash his head in. But the coast remained clear.

He straightened himself, normalizing his gait as he approached the boy’s back with his focus trained on the small lump just peeking out from under the cloth, eyeing the vendor as well in search of an opening.

When the vendor turned around to find something, he struck with the speed and determination of a serpent. His nimble, dirty fingers found purchase on what he found to be yet another loaf of bread that would become his meal. Not ideal, though there was no room for complaining about what was put in your stomach, as long as it kept you alive.

He slipped it out and turned to walk away, heart spazzing in his chest as he waited for the familiar angry shouts that always followed him. But they didn’t come.

Not right away this time, that is.

“Hey!” It sounded like the kid and Chenle was sprinting away before the rest of the exclamation had entered the air.

His feet flew and the dull ache in his legs was ever persistent from the day before, but he kept running. Maybe to some it was just a loaf of bread but to someone like him it might as well have been the difference between life or death.

Chenle knew his way around the entire town and city, something that this foreigner lacked. But when he skirted the corner into an alley he used often in this area, and flipped his way between and up the walls, he felt the unfamiliar presence of someone gaining on him.

He forced his feet to move faster over the slate and sprung from one roof to another, never slowing. But the feeling of being closely followed never left.

He turned to glance over his shoulder, just to find out if his mind was playing tricks on him, and found the kid, basket and all, sprinting behind him, way too closely for comfort.

Quickly, the kid drew the stick from on his back and slashed it through the air with a loud shout. A heavy, powerful blast of wind knocked Chenle off his feet, sending him rolling over, morsel of bread forgotten as he only thought of getting up and getting away.

He was back on his feet, fear of the kid’s unknown and foreign abilities helping his feet to fly faster. The shouts after him didn’t deter his per usual escape, sparking a firebomb and hurling it back at his attacker.

He slid down the side of a roof, landing heavily and picking up the pace again, planning to head back towards the underground just in case someone had decided to give chase.

By the time he reached the familiar streets, he was positive the kid had given up but for good measure, he took to the underground.

It seemed a lot wetter than the day before but maybe that was because he wasn’t sweating as hard. He waited for the shuffle of a kid, the tell tale sign that you were not alone, but none came.

He sat in the same spot as the other day and cleared his throat louder than necessary, checking once again.

“Can I help you?” A voice suddenly asked, sounding groggy and somewhat irked.

Chenle’s eyes shot up towards the source but in the dark he couldn’t see even a hint of movement. From what he could gather, the kid was in no rush to get out. If anything, the kid had fallen asleep in the underground.

He felt the urge to tell the person that sleeping in the underground was never good. He’d heard of kids who walked out with fungi sprouting from their backs and mold rimming their eyes.

But this kid didn’t mean anything to him.

“Forget it,” he mumbled, relaxing into the mushy earth. He’d always be alone. They’d always be alone. That’s just how it was for kids like them.

But he felt empty. He truly was completely alone.

 

* * *

 

“Jisung! What took you so long, we said specifically to you not to stray too far,” Ten scolded, wagging his finger at the younger boy as he escorted him to join the rest of the group that Taeil was trying to herd.

The boy just grumbled. “Some pest tried to steal my food,” he frowned.

Ten, a little too preoccupied to pay Jisung’s excuse much mind, merely frowned and narrowed his eyes briefly at the young monk and returned to attempting to round up the other scuttling kids and get them all safely to their hotel.

So the boy took advantage of it and slipped away, setting off to explore and eventually find his way back to the hotel on his own.

He’d never wanted to go on the trip to visit the Fire Nation. He’d already been to the Earth Kingdom and that had been quite the adventure. They were nearly devoured by canyon crawlers, permanently high from cactus juice that Ten had so intelligently decided to pump his body full of, and had gotten lost while trying to fly home. So needless to say, he was less than enthused to be forced on another trip.

To make matters worse, the city they’d decided to visit seemed to be crawling with orphaned, homeless, savage kids, stealing and fighting everyone in the vicinity.

He shuddered at the thought. Call him prejudiced but he hated the idea of living on the street and those who actually did. There was no dignity, nothing to show for at the end of your life and a pathetic need to depend on others to keep yourself breathing and heart beating.

Of course, coming from the Southern Air Temple, there were no homeless kids so he’d never properly met one before. All of the monks took good care of every young monk and while he sort of shared the ‘orphaned’ part of his life with the street kids, it wasn’t the same. He had Ten and Taeil and others who looked out for him and could give him a bed every night to sleep in.

“And I’m not a worthless piece of shit,” he muttered to himself, coming up to the shore of the harbor. He let himself plop down along the rocks and looked over the vast, churning waters.

After a minute of lapsing into boredom, he pulled out some of his purchased produce and began to munch on an apple. The wet, sweet crunch satisfied all of his senses and he sighed happily.

This is what he loved best.

Being alone. Where he didn’t have to worry about what everyone thought of him. Where he didn’t have put on an exhausting front to keep himself safe. Where he didn’t have to think about the uncomfortable lurch of his stomach and tightening of his throat whenever someone stared at him.

Alone. His thoughts strayed back to the kid who’d tried to steal from him.

_He’s probably as alone as you. If not, more_ / his subconscious tried to reason.

Jisung scowled at the apple core and chucked it over the edge of the rocks, not caring if it made it to the sea. It wasn’t his problem that the kid was too poor to pay fairly for a cheap loaf of bread.

He let his eyes fall shut and leaned back against the smooth rocks, weathered by waves crashing constantly into them, and let himself meditate.

  

* * *

 

 

Chenle finally rose from the underground, ready to try a second time to find something to eat, when he was reminded by a soft groan of the other kid in the underground.

He bit the inside of his cheek, debating the helpfulness of waking them so they didn’t suffer terribly.

_Wouldn’t you want someone to do the same for you?_

He shook his head. No one would though, even if he wanted. The streets are lawless, it’s everyone for themselves.

But it didn’t sit well with him.

He turned and carefully crept over to where the kid was softly snoring.

With a snap of his fingers, he pinched a small flame between his fingers and inspected the face of the kid.

“H-hello?”

He squinted. The person’s lips hadn’t moved. Someone else was there.

Chenle gave the flame a little more juice and peered over the other side of the person, meeting a pair of wide, terrified eyes.

“A-are you trying to kill him?” The person asked. Chenle frowned slightly but finally recognized the voice from the day before. These kids had spent the whole rest of the day and then the night in the underground.

“Not quite,” Chenle shrugged, “I was gonna wake you both because it’s not good to stay here for a long time.”

“We have nowhere else to go,” the boy murmured, jaw clenching and unclenching nervously.

Chenle pressed his lips into a thin line. “Well you can’t stay here. Come on, wake up your buddy, I- we need to get you outside.”

With reluctance, the boy woke up his friend, muttering something quickly into his ear before helping him to his feet. Chenle lead them to the hatch and climbed out, scanning the surrounding area before helping to move the other two up and out.

They blinked against the bright sun, disoriented and groggy and Chenle let his eyes scan over them for any signs of fungi or mold.

They seemed to be okay, other than some dirt and water droplets glinting on their skin.

“Don’t spend more time than necessary in the underground. It’s fine if you need to hide for a couple of hours, but sleeping will make you sick.”

The boys nodded, eyes wide, and offered small but grateful smiles.

Chenle gave a short nod and turned, walking off and leaving them huddled together. He’d done the right thing, right?

 

* * *

 

 

Finally, as the sun was melting into the sea, Chenle gobbled down a Japanese pear and some scraps of dried meat. It did very little to fill the deep pit of hunger but he felt some strength return to his bones, enough to carry him back to the dock.

He had no idea why, but the smell of the sea brought new hope for him, reminding him that there was still a chance for him to build a future for himself.

He no longer dreamed though, he’d given up on dreams a while ago. Dreaming did nothing good for him. It was foolish to believe that they would one day come true, that’s what his parents had always told him. That's what everyone had always told him.

He sucked in a sharp breath and buried the thoughts. The past should stay in the past.

His dreams had passed, he’d fully accepted that the day his life went up in flames, literally. He couldn’t dwell on such things now, not when he had only himself to rely on.

His thoughts drifted back to the present when the familiar crash of waves against the rocky shore gradually grew louder. He let himself smile, just a little.

The water was turning warm shades of orange and yellow and pink as the sun drowned in the waves, casting a golden glow over everything facing the horizon. Chenle felt it resonate deep in his bones, life energy coursing through his body as the sun hit him directly and he finally gave into the huge smile that spread over his whole face.

For an instant, a split second, everything felt right. He let his arms stretch out at his sides and he leaned forward into the warm, golden rays ever so slightly. He felt in control.

He felt powerful.

Not the kind of power you get from scaring the shit out of weak kids, the kind of power that you get from working your way up, finding yourself and your purpose.

The last of the sun’s light faded from the day and the moon’s pale glow slowly brightened in it's place, and Chenle felt the strength ebb from his muscles.

With a deep sigh, he let his legs buckle and he sat on the rocks, salty air whipping through his hair.

Nearby, someone cleared their throat gruffly.

Chenle glanced over his shoulder and could make out someone wearing bright orange and yellow colors against the dark rocks no more than five paces away. He narrowed his eyes.

Complete silence was drowned out by the rush of wind and the sounds of the sea, but neither boy said a word.

Chenle stared at him. Not necessarily hostile, but not friendly. More wary than anything else.

The boy stared back, something fierce burning behind his eyes.

Chenle, though intimidated, didn’t let the boy’s open hostility phase him. “You’re not from here.”

The boy chuckled sardonically. “My hair gave it away, right?”

Chenle forced himself not to roll his eyes. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m not allowed to be here?”

“I didn’t say that. But no one would willingly come to the fire nation unless they have important stuff to do.”

The boy tilted his head. “Important stuff, you say? Well, I didn’t come here at my own will. My mentors forced me along with the rest of the young monks.”

A frown etched itself into his lips. “Monk? What’s that?” He inquired, genuinely curious and willing to open up if the other would too.

But the other boy didn’t seem too pleased with his curiosity.

“Are you dumb?” He snapped. “Did you even go to school?”

Chenle grew defensive and closed back in on himself. “And if I didn’t?” He snapped back.

A haughty sigh hung in the air. “Makes sense,” the boy muttered, turning to Chenle. His eyes glinted in the moonlight. “You’re an orphaned street parasite, huh?”

His blood boiled. “Parasite? Is that how you see me?”

“Sure,” he snorted, “I mean, you don’t do much more than leech off of others’ wealth and hard work-”

The huge, scorching blast of fire narrowly missed the boy, instead landing on the rocks just in front of him and staining them an ashy black.

The boy’s eyes were wide and his mouth hung open slightly, but Chenle didn’t care.

“I work harder to survive than you will ever know,” he hissed, “you don’t survive on the streets by playing fair and square so fuck off and don’t ever let me see you again.”

Chenle turned and bounded back over the rocks, never looking back as he let himself be swallowed by the shadows of the night.

  

* * *

 

 

Jisung looked around and startled when he realized he’d reached the hotel once more. Puzzled, he tried to remember what he’d been thinking so hard about that disrupted his awareness so much but all he could think about was the thief he’d reencountered.

As he trudged up the stairs, indifferent about possibly running into a livid Ten or Taeil, he noticed something off.

He frowned, concentrating on the tightness in his chest and bitter taste in his mouth.

But in the end, he only shrugged and let himself collapse onto the soft mattress, drifting off to dreamland almost instantly.

  

* * *

 

Chenle refused to obsess over what others thought of him, at least the thoughts of those not in a similar position.

But even this foreigner who had never seen him in his life only saw him as a lowlife parasite. A bug.

He didn’t mind if it was himself or other rats calling them all rodents, because there was no bite behind their words. They’d be hypocrites if anyone of them really meant “rodent” as an insult.

But this snooty, nose upturned, judgmental foreigner just straight out said how he didn’t see him as another human being stung badly.

He ground his teeth together and changed course sharply, ignoring how he naturally wanted to gravitate back to his secluded nook.

Not sure if he’d be welcomed or driven away, he clung tightly to the shadows and moved swiftly, dodging the areas occupied by the older, stronger kids.

He stopped a half a block away from a familiar run down shack, although even that word was too flashy of a word for the rotted wood propped up against a collapsing tunnel, and forced himself to step into the moonlight, open palms raised and head rolled back with his throat bared.

“Who’s there?!” The voice was gruff and demanding, though from what Chenle could tell, he’d just scared the shit out of his friend.

“Your best friend.”

There was a sigh of relief even in the dark and a familiar mop of black, shoulder-length hair was splashed with moonlight.

“Chen? Chenle?” Morishita asked warily, his bony figure slowly approaching Chenle at an angle from the front. A rusted metal blade glinted.

Chenle kept his head back and his hands open and raised when he responded. “Yes, can we talk?” His jaw tightened when he heard his pitiful croak of a question bounce through the dark.

Mo was silent and crept forward until he was breathing on the vulnerable skin of Chenle’s neck. In the silent night, it would’ve been possible to hear an ant crawl over the dirty street.

In a split second, the sound of a blade being sheathed tore into the silence and a strong hand attached to the back of Chenle’s head, lifting his face forward.

He blinked carefully and was greeted by the only eyes he could put his trust into and the soft smile that made him feel like he mattered.

He fell into Mo’s arms and from there the tears were nearly automatic, complete with ugly sobs and harsh hiccups.

He buried his face into the tattered, rough fabric of his friend’s shirt and let himself cry for the first time since he’d lost everything.

Mo asked questions, but nothing that would upset Chenle further.

“Do you want to stay with me for a bit? Would you like to sleep now? Would you like me to hold you?”

Chenle managed a weak nod or shake of his head to each of the questions, letting himself be escorted to Mo’s shack where he fell back and clung once more to his friend.

They lapsed into silence as Chenle finally got a grip of himself, enough to speak intelligibly.

“We really are on our own to survive…” he mumbled, sniffling quietly and forcing himself to sit up against the wall of the tunnel. “Just pests… _parasites_ , in the eyes of everyone else… no one cares about us,” he spat at the ground, eyes welling up with hot tears of indignation and anger.

It wasn’t fair. He hadn’t asked for this hellish life.

His knuckles whitened as the fist he couldn’t remember making clenched tighter until his nails threatened to draw blood.

“Hey, it’s a tough world out there, yeah?” Mo said, a hand squeezing Chenle’s shoulder tightly. “But you can’t give up on yourself just because others don’t believe you - don't believe we - can make it.”

Chenle gazed up at him, lip quivering.

“We have eachother’s backs and we have ourselves. We are strong. We can survive,” he assured, pressing himself closer against Chenle. “We _will_  survive.”

Chenle nodded, tears slowly sizzling into a gas from his cheeks. “We will survive…” he breathed shakily.

“Yeah, that’s it! We will survive!” Mo crowded happily, his fierce cry ringing in the dark, enclosed space.

Chenle laughed suddenly and let out a loud whoop into the darkness, smiling at how the strength and power in his voice resonated indefinitely through the night. They found themselves crying out confidently and happily, going back and forth until Chenle’s final roar of courage disappeared too far into the sky for them to hear.

His breathing was elevated but he felt alive. He felt happy.

“Hey, and you know what?” Mo said, tapping Chenle. “When the people spit at us and try to step all over us, you know what we’ll do? We’ll tell them, fuck you! Fuck you because you can’t and won’t ever understand what it takes to survive, yeah?”

“We’ll tell ‘em, fuck you!”

Mo laughed loudly, his entire body shaking with the force.

Once more the boys’ laughter faded and their eyes drooped, falling into silence.

Then Mo spoke.

“My brother…” he murmured. “Chen, I want to tell you about my brother because even though he’s far away, he’s helped me through times like these before.”

Chenle nodded, his head resting on the cold, hard ground. “You have a brother? I’d like to hear, please…”

Mo smiled down and his hair flipped through the hair as he nodded his head. “Yes. before he went overseas with the army…” Mo’s smile faltered, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. “You know what he told me that’s kept me going? He told me: your day will come. This is what you should remember too. Our dreams, our goals… our day will come when we can reach them.”

A soft murmur of agreement left his lips.

“Yes… this is my favorite thing to think when I feel alone and sad. My day will come,” he whispered, more to himself than Chenle now.

He breathed out slowly and let his eyes fall shut, head nestled between the ground and the tunnel wall. “Thank you, Mo.”

“Anything for one of my people, Chen.”

And soon, their breathing deepened and slowed, and the calm of night settled over them like a soft, warm blanket.

**Author's Note:**

> stay tuned!
> 
> *character aesthetics will be updated in a few hours*  
> [UPDATED CHARACTER AESTHETICS](https://twitter.com/jumping_jxx/status/1081326989691310080?s=20)


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